Fill in the Blanks

I know I just posted, but I felt rushed the last time. This morning I'm just chilling out, waiting for my travel buddy to get back from scuba diving, so I feel like I have time to fill in the blanks on some of the things I think about this crazy country that I am in.

Colombia has officially surpassed Turkey as the favorite of all of the places I have been. The gorgeous, green mountains and jungle landscapes are captivating. The water is clear and blue and the people are brilliant. It is exactly what I have wanted in the last three months of travel all rolled up into a nice Colombian ball. I can see where people were coming from when they said that I would want to stay longer than my alloted time. I feel like I could spend months here and still only see a fraction of what it has to offer.

It's not just the landscapes for me either, although that's usually the part that I enjoy the most. The energy of the people here is contagious! Seriously, walking down the street, you are accosted by the huge variety of sounds, sights and smells. There is music everywhere and people always seem to be dancing. There never a dull moment, as there are numerous fiestas to attend daily(these people love to party!). Something is always cooking on a grill nearby and there are freshly squeezed juices on every street corner for about 25 cents. (The juices here are incredible!!!) The people are lively and seem genuinely interested in where you're from and what you're doing and how you feel about Colombia. This country is nothing like the reputation it has been given in the United States. It is the most welcoming place I have ever been.

So there you have it, I love everything about Colombia except for one thing...the insects! I came to Taganga, a little beach town just a few minutes from Santa Marta, last night. I am in the best hostel I've ever stayed, with a beautiful courtyard full of hammocks and lots of tables and social areas. The dorm rooms are cozy and have their own bathrooms. But I noticed the mosquito nets hanging above the beds as soon as I got here...and I had every right to be worried. These bugs are relentless! My American blood apparently tastes really good. I was up for hours last night trying to fix the net above my head, but they found a way in anyway. The repellant here does not work at all, and my fantastic REI brand with 40% deet is officially gone. I have never dealt with anything even remotely like this...and I'll probably have the scars to prove it for the rest of my life.

This morning I have been relaxing in hammocks while trying not to scratch. I think this is going to be my last full day in this area, so we're heading to some beautiful beach that's supposed to be about 20 minutes from here. I'll soak in some more sun and hope for some cool breezes before heading to Cartagena tomorrow. I hear the heat and humidity is even more intense over there.

I finally booked my ticket to Panama. My dreams of sailing there are over. It sounded like an amazing opportunity, but very expensive and time consuming. I've already seen the San Blas islands, so the only new thing for me would've been two days of open water. And with the rough December seas, I think I can deal without. If I want to go back to San Blas, I'll make time for it on my way back through Panama. I've booked two weeks there to try to see some of the things that I missed last year. After my trip there, I kept saying I would go back, though I don't know if I believed myself. I guess if you tell yourself something over and over, eventually it will happen. That seems to be the way life has worked for me lately.